The Busker Small Batch Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Review

Just last week, I thought it was about time to revisit the different classes of Irish whiskey, so often portrayed in the U.S. market as a simple monolith. Suffice to say, there’s a lot more to the Irish whiskey category than just the ubiquitous, inexpensive blends that are popular worldwide–the category also includes single malt entries, single grain bottles and the still-elusive and unmistakably Irish category that is single pot still whiskey. As explained in the piece above, this most Irish of all styles is only made on the Emerald Isle, and is essentially an evolution of their own single malt style, albeit using a portion of barley that is unmalted or “green.” This portion contributes a unique flavor often described as being more earthy and spicy than the sweetness of traditional malted barley. Over the years, I’ve sampled single pot still whiskeys wherever I’ve had the opportunity, including one from relatively young brand The Busker in 2020. Now that brand is back with another expression, subtly evolving their single pot still whiskey concept with The Busker Small Batch Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey.

With that said, these are some pretty subtle distinctions between the new Small Batch Single Pot Still and The Busker’s own existing brand. The ABV has been bumped up by two points, from 44.3% ABV (88.6 proof) to 46.3% (92.6 proof). Both are double matured, first in traditional ex-bourbon casks, and then in sherry casks, though the new Small Batch expression notes its use of first-fill American bourbon and Oloroso sherry butts. Neither is age stated, but one gets the sense that the new expression is simply meant to be a modestly more luxurious spin on the same house style. Like the former, this is distilled at the Royal Oak Distillery in County Carlow, owned by Italy’s Italy’s Illva Saronno.

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So with all that said, and with St. Patrick’s Day on the horizon, let’s reacquaint ourselves with The Busker’s take on single pot still Irish whiskey, with a sherry cask flair.

On the nose, the Small Batch Single Pot Still initially leads off with crisp grain and sweet malt, tinged by the more distinctly spicy character of that green, unmalted barley. To me, it evokes both pepper and rolled oats. These impressions are joined by more obvious sherry cask character, with a dry nuttiness and impressions of dried fruit, coupled with espresso roast.

On the palate, the dried fruitiness really advances to the fore in an assertive way, combining itself with big roasted nuts and vinous notes, with vanilla cream and lingering black pepper in both a spicy and fruity dimension. As is perhaps clear from that description, the sherry casks feel significantly more forward in the profile here than in the original version of this single pot still whiskey, though they contribute more of oloroso’s dry nuttiness and dried fruit rather than the more sticky sweetness of some other styles–residual sweetness here is only moderate. There’s a significant roasty dimension here as well, evoking a particularly vinous and fruit-forward dark roast coffee.

All in all, this is certainly a more decadent type of version of this whiskey in comparison with The Busker’s core expression, one that leans more heavily into both styles of cask that are involved. This makes it perhaps not the most archetypal version of single pot still Irish whiskey out there, but the profile still works quite nicely regardless. This makes for a perfectly pleasant neat dram, and would no doubt contribute intriguing character to various classic cocktails built around Irish whiskey.

Distillery: The Busker (Royal Oak Distillery)
City: Royal Oak, County Carlow, Ireland
Style: Single pot still Irish whiskey
ABV: 46.3% (92.6 proof)
Availability: 750 ml bottles, $50 MSRP

Jim Vorel is a Paste staff writer and resident beer and liquor geek. You can follow him on Twitter for more drink writing.